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Bacon reduces the 'yuck' factor of Brussels sprouts
Braised Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Serves 4
2 slices bacon, cut into pieces
½ onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and outer leaves removed
1 sprig sage
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
In a heavy, medium sized pot with a lid, sauté bacon and onion in 1 tablespoon of the butter until onion is soft and bacon is crispy. Add the Brussels sprouts and sage sprig. In a bowl, whisk the mustard with the broth, then add all of it to the pot.
Bring to a boil, cover pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or
until Brussels sprouts are tender. There will be almost no liquid left. Add the second tablespoon of butter and season with salt and
pepper. Serve hot.
I love Brussels sprouts. Emma, 8, loves Brussels sprouts. Molly, 6, loves coleslaw, and Clay, now 5, well, maybe he would try them, maybe not. I figured with a little bacon, it should be a safe bet everyone would be willing to at least try.
The kids helped me prep the Brussels sprouts. I told Molly they were like baby cabbages. The girls used paring knives to cut off the ends, then peeled off the outer leaves that looked unappealing. I diced the onion, Emma chopped some bacon and into the pot it all went. The food cooked on the stovetop for about 35 minutes, to make sure they were nice and tender. Once cooked, we added a dab of butter, and I seasoned them with salt and pepper. The broth reduced to a glaze. I was thinking of adding a diced apple to this dish, but decided for my kids' sake that I would keep it simple. If you want to put a little apple in, I would add it when the Brussels sprouts go in. I might add some for the real show on Thanksgiving.
Emma and I loved these. When Clay sat down, he ate two, right off the bat. Molly took a mouse-sized bite, declared her distaste and with that, turned Clay off, too. At least he ate a little. I bet he'll eat a few at Thanksgiving dinner without even thinking about it - as long as no other small diners say “eww" or “yuck."
If you do not have anything green for your Thanksgiving table, try these sprouts. They are easy to make and require little space or labor. If you like vegetables in the cabbage family, you will love these.
Margery Reed Poitras has 10 years of experience as a professional chef and eight years experience as a mother.
E-mail mpoitras@discoveryspeed.com'>mpoitras@discoveryspeed.com
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